The Portland daily press., 1887-02-10
A List of the Yeas and Nays on the
Vote:
Notes and Comments on other Mat
ters of Public Interest.
Especial to the PREss.l

Especial to the PREss.l
AUGUSTA, Feb. 9.
Veneration for antiquity carried the day il
the House of Representatives this after
noon. John c. Talbot struck a reminiscent
vein, quoting from the One Horse Shay
Little Of all we value here, wakes on th,
morn of its hundredth year, without boil
looking and feeling queer" ETC., and Mr.
Walton of Skowhegan pleaded for the ar
rangement of a century and half ago. un
til the House thought Portland should con
tinue to support Pride's and Stroudwate
bridges for the sake of auld lang syne.
But all this did not happen without mos
exciting.fght such fight as only a bridge o.
ferry can stir up; and not until most of tht
towns around Portland had risen up to hell
Deering and WestbroOk. The Representa-
tives from Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland
Gorham, Windham, Bridgton, Otsfeld
Naples and Standish were on hand as one
man against Portland when the voting be-
gan. Harpswell, Freeport, North Yarmouth
and Brunswick stood by Portland, and New
Gloucester's Representative was absent AS
the vote stood 76 to 81, those eight neighbors
were enough to decide the question.
The ball began about IL o'clock in the
forenoon, when the two reports from the
committee on ways and bridges were taken
up, the majority report favoring the release
of Portland from the task imposed upon her
by the General Court one hundred years
ago, and the minority against such release.
Mr.. Moore OF Deering Immediately moved
the substitution of the minority for the ma
jority report, and the debate began Mr.
M0Ora want haQly N tho old oe Eol
mouth and attempted to show that Portland
was bound by contract always to support the
bridges.
Mr.. Fogg of Portland, replied to Mr..
Moore, opening the fight for Portland with a
long and well sustained argument showing
that the conditions of one hundred years
ago were changed, that no contract ever ex-
listed whereby Portland was bound to sup
port the bridges a moment longer than the
Legislature should decree. IF a cOntractleX-
lists" said he, why does Deering and West
brook come here to prevent legislation, since
no legislation can invalidate a contract?"
Their coming here to this Legislature is an
admission that in their judgment there is no
contract" Mr.. Fogg treated of the case
most carefully in all its principal points.
Mr.. Woodman of Westbrook, was about to
reply, when an unexpected ally of the two
towns dashed into the arena ahead of him.
1t was Mr.. Noble of Lewiston, and he took
the ground that contract did exist and tried
| TO prove it.
Then Mr.. Woodman got the floor, but did
not speak long, though long enough to show
that Westbrook's representative was in the
fight for her
Mr.. WIswell of Ellsworth, followed. and
his sound and forcible argument was a most
thorough refutation of the arguments just
advanced. Mr.. Wiswell took the ground
that no contract existed, and that Portland
should therefore be released.
His remarks made an excellent impression,
but Hon. John c. Talbot spoiled it by call
ing attention to Portland's recent centennial
and to the fact that the city bore a spotless
reputation, which, in his opinion would be
sullied unless the city should continue to
support bridges for Deering and Westbrook.
He also quoted from the Deacon's One
Horse Shay, not to show that contract ex-
listed, but to please his hearers. They were
pleased, and applauded. A fellow who
heard this applause said; Portland is
licked"
Major Dickey thought Portl and ought
not to support these bridges another min
ute; Deering and Westbrook should certain
| ly do it.
But Mr.. Pettengill, of Pembroke spoiled
the effect of Dickey's remarks by calling. at
tention to the fact that this was the first
time that. the Aroostook sage was even
known to favor the support of a bridge by
anything but the state. This was all in fun
| but it didn't help Portland S case. Everyone
| laughed. and then someone wanted to put off
voting to let some members study. into the
| facts. But Deering and WestbroOk did not
want to wait. However an adjournment
was made until 4.30 p. m. AT this time ii
| was about / p. m.
Portland's prospects looked dark; Deering
and Westbrook men, and there were lots Of
them there, looked jubilant.
At 4.30 p. M the House of Representatives
was crowded again. Floor and galleries were
filed with spectators.
Messrs. Wiswell of Ellsworth and Barker
of Bangor, began in answer to some ques
| tiOnS as to the existence of contract Both
held that no contract existed Mr.. Noble
however, reiterated again his assertions that
| there was one, and he waved the agreement
| OF 1852, in relation to certain limits, as an
| evidence of some contract back in 1856.
Mr.. Looney answered Mr.. Noble in spir-
| tied speech. and made very effective argu-
ment, oyerturning again the contract theory
| The debate began to grow interesting when
| Mr.. L0oney closed, and when Mr.. Dow took
| the floor Portland's prospects were growing
| brighter.
Mr.. Dow made them brighter still. His
| speech dealt with the case in all its aspects
| and was convincing and interesting Again
he showed that no contract existed, and he
supported his Argument with historical re.
| view of the arrangement of the last century
| Mr.. Noble of Lewiston attacked Mr.. Dow
| during his speech, and followed him when
he closed. But Portland's case still seemed
hopeful.
The real mischief of the afternoon wa:
| done by Mr.. Walton of Skowhegan. The
| House was getting tired and hungry, and he
came in with plenty of originality and wit
| all of which was on the side of Deering anC
Westbrook. The House laughed and ap
| plauded; itmight be rash to say that ready
wit at this hour went farther than the solid
| arguments of the hours before had gone.
| 1t was now getting late, and Messrs. Fogl
and Talbot closed the fight with short fina
speeches.
1t was twenty-five minutes to O'Clock
when Mr. Pattengall moved the previous
question amid great suspense and excite
ment.
The vote was taken Immediately on the
| substitution of the minority for the majority
report, those siding with Deering and West
| brook voting yes, and those siding witt
| Portland voting no. These are the yeas anC
nays:
| YEAs-Messrs. Alden, Alexander, Allen, Aver
Bennett, Billings, Bishop, Brown, Chase of Dam
ariscotta Chase of Edgecomb, Clark of Bangor
Clark of Caribou, Clark OF Saco, Cook, Cults
Dawson, Doten, Eels, FaTar, Ferguson, Foster
| Friend, Gagnon, Greene. Greer Grndle, Hall
Hamilton Of Cumberland, Harding of Gerham
Harrington, Horrigan, Hunter, Keegan, KiddeI
kngsbury, Knapp. Levensaler, Libby of Malta
wamkeag Littlefeld of Prospect Lombard 0
Moore Of Gardiner o'Brlen, Newbert, Noble
Parcher, Pattangall Pray, Purington of Bowdoin
Purington of Bowdoinham, Ray, Richards
dsS GSf ETsse sSsT sanGSnn sRap OF sS
Sylvester, Talbot, Thurlow, Walton, Warren Q
| Buxton Warren of Winslow, Watts, Wedgewoot
Weymouth, -Wiggin Wylie, Wilson, Withan
| Woodman-76.
| NAYs-Messrs. Adams, Barker, Beal, Bowkel
Boynton, Bradsh, Bradley Bryant, Burns, Carlt
| ton, Clark of Calais Cloutier, Condon, CorsOT
| Cushing, Diekey, Dority Dow, Engel, Field, FLOYD
| Fogg, Glover, Harding of Durham, Harper
! Hawkes. Hayden. Hersey, Hobson, Hodgkins
Jones, Jordan, Judkins, Looney, Lufkin, Malet
Manley, Mason, Morrill,, Neatly, Packard, Palmer
Poole, Powers, Randall, Kicker, Roberts {
Brunswick, Roberts of Dexter Sanborn of Islam
Falls, Scott, Silsby, Small, Spinney, Vaughn
Wakefield, Waugh, Wentworth, Wmtcomb, Viii
more, Widber, Wiswell-61.
Absent-Messrs. Clifford, Hamilton of Gould:
bOro, Heald, Jewett, Libby of Burnham, MarstoI
Pierce, Reynolds, Shaw, Sturgs, Varney, Wrigh
| York-13.
Coming Contests.
The reports Of the labor committee came il
today, and next Tuesday has been assignee
for their consideration, There will probabl
be large number Of Speeches, and consider
able difference of opinion.
The sawdust in Damariscotta river Wi
also occupy the attention of the House mex
Tuesday. The majority of the committee O.
interior waters think it is all right for saw